(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a lattice of partition panels that is used inside a container to separate articles packaged in the container, where the container may be cut along its side walls to remove a top portion of the container to expose the articles packaged therein with none of the partition panels of the lattice obstructing a view of the articles by projecting above the cut top edge of an adjacent container wall.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Partition panels are commonly used in carton packaging, such as cardboard or paperboard boxes, for separating articles packaged in the boxes and preventing the articles from contacting with each other when shipped or stored. This is particularly true for glass articles, such as bottles and other similar articles, but is also true in packaging easily bruised food items such as fruits and vegetables and in packaging eggs. A typical partition lattice is comprised of several panels arranged in a crisscrossing pattern in the interior of the carton where the crisscrossing panels define several separate storage areas in the carton interior. Prior art partition panels typically extend from the bottom to the top of the container and provide added compression strength to the container in addition to separating the container interior into separate storage areas. Examples of these partition panel lattices are shown in the U.S. Patents of Coyle U.S. Pat. No. 1,755,208; Roberts U.S. Pat. No. 1,963,677; and Plautz U.S. Pat. No. 1,995,482.
A prior art lattice of partition panels is typically comprised of several rectangular sheets of paperboard or cardboard or other similar material. The panels are provided with pluralities of slots extending partially across their widths. The panels are arranged perpendicular to each other and the slots are interlocked to assemble the lattice of panel partitions. The lattice of panels is then inserted into the carton interior to divide the interior into separate areas, each to receive an article to be packaged in the container.
In the simple construction of prior art carton partitions described above, it was often found that the lattice of partition panels would not retain the rectangular or boxlike configuration of the areas defined by the crisscrossing panels, and would often become askew after being positioned in the carton interior making it difficult to insert articles into each of the areas defined by the crisscrossing panels. Where cartons are packaged manually, the partition panels becoming askew in the carton was not a great problem as the partitions could be manipulated to their desired crisscrossing configuration as articles are manually inserted into the separate areas defined by the crisscrossing panels. However, in assembly lines where machines are employed to both insert the lattice of partition panels into the carton interior and then insert articles into each of the separate areas defined by the crisscrossing panels, should the lattice of panels become askew in the carton interior it would often prevent the machines from properly inserting articles into the carton.
Partition panel lattices have been developed where an indexing or positioning panel is added to the lattice to maintain the crisscrossing panels of the lattice in their proper perpendicular relative positions once inserted into the carton interior. The positioning or indexing strip is typically secured to one or more partition panel edges and is positioned in the carton interior against one of the carton walls to maintain the crisscrossing panels in their perpendicular relative positions. However, this improved partition panel lattice was found to be disadvantaged when used with cartons that are also intended to be used as displays for the packaged goods in warehouse-type stores where goods are displayed in their shipping cartons.
Typically, in displaying articles in warehouse-type stores, the shipping carton is cut horizontally across each of its four side walls and the top portion of the carton is removed, exposing the articles contained in the carton. However, when employing the prior art partition panel lattice which includes an indexing or positioning panel that extends along one of the carton side wall interiors, when the top portion of the carton is cut away, the indexing or positioning panel projects above the cut top edge of the carton walls to the height of the original carton wall, thereby obstructing the view of the articles contained in the carton over the carton wall adjacent the indexing or positioning partition panel.